Pagina's

Fashion Classics: The little black dress

Classics are real icons of the fashion world. Revolutionary looks that changed the whole industry, most of them still recognizable in today's street wear.

The little black dress

Black has been a popular color for ages. Suits, dresses, hats everything! For almost a hundred years now, the little black dress (LBD) is worn by women all over the world from all different levels of society. Although many black dresses were made before, the first official little black dress was invented by Gabrielle Chanel. In 1926 she became world famous when she published the drawing above in American Vogue. They called it "Chanel's Ford", after Henry Ford's car: the model-T. The model-T was an amazingly popular car in that time, especially among working-class people and it was only available in black. Henry Ford's motto : "You can get it in any color as long as it's black," was also used by the editors of American Vogue. The described the dress as "a uniform for all stylish women on this planet."

In the beginning the dressed caused quite a scandal. It was just below the knee, very short for that time. The color was too dark. It had no waistline at all, they said it looked like a garbage bag. They claimed that the dress was too sober and that it was in desperate need of some decorations. But very soon the LBD became more popular, because of it's simplicity. Women from all classes could afford a model like this. They were able to look very stylish for a reasonable price. Which caused the success of this dress.

1930 1940 1950

1960 1970 1980

1990 2000 2010

Since then the LBD stayed with us. Thousands of them were designed all in different shapes and sizes. Almost every women on this planet owns a LBD. (I've you don't, Shame on you! Go get one, RIGHT NOW!) It's so popular because you can mix it with pretty anything you like. Heels, hats, scarves, vests, jackets, pearls, diamonds. The combinations are endless. ANd above all, black is a very slimming colour! With the right accessories the LBD can be worn to school as well as an gala-event. This dress offers millions of possibilities.